Arboretum

The State Arboretum of Virginia (also known as the Orland E. White Arboretum) occupies the central 172 acres of Blandy Experimental Farm. Started in the 1930s, it now contains over 5000 woody trees and shrubs from around the world. It is a reference garden for the Southeast Region of the American Conifer Society and includes the American Boxwood Society's Memorial Garden.

We're planting lots of trees. And "we" means school groups, civic groups, and lots of volunteers. So far we, supported by the Virginia Department of Forestry, have planted 496 trees in the grassy area at the front entrance to the arboretum. As these trees grow, they will transform an expanse of pasture grass and weeds into a diverse eastern forest. Among the many types of trees planted are tulip poplar, white oak, eastern red oak, redbud, pawpaw, black cherry, red maple and serviceberry.

Paying their dues. Master Naturalists pay their dues with sweat and hard labor. Blandy Experimental Farm has helped train cohorts of students in the Master Naturalist program and they have come back to volunteer with our programs.